I’ll fight by sticking to my ideology: Mamata

Kolkata, Nov 23: Facing renewed attack from the Left for her failed bid to table a no confidence motion against the UPA government, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Friday said she would stick to her ideology and work for the people, disregarding criticism.

“I will fight it out. I will fight by sticking to my ideology. I may lose a battle of ideology. But I will move forward in the long term by adhering to value−based politics,” Banerjee, also the West Bengal chief minister, said at a college function here.

Her comments came a day after her party’s efforts to move the no confidence motion in the Lok Sabha in protest against issues such as foreign direct investment in multi−brand retail was rejected as the proposal was not backed by sufficient number of parliament members.

The Left parties had Thursday poked fun at her, saying it was a “laughable matter”.

“She (Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee) went from door−to−door seeking support for her no confidence motion. But actually it is she on whom nobody has confidence,” said Surjya Kanta Mishra, leader of opposition in the West Bengal assembly.

Addressing students at her alma mater Jogmaya Devi College, Banerjee said: “One should never suffer from depression. You should never think negative. You should always be positive and constructive.”

Taking on her critics, she said: “‘Jab raja chale bazaar, to kutta bhonke hazaar’ (When king goes to market, thousands of dogs bark). So long I live, I will speak out for the people; I will work for the masses. I will leave with my dreams.

“The problem is there are some who are only there to criticise. Whatever you do, they will say: ‘It is not done’. But if you do good work, then you will see whatever others may say, that does not matter,” she said.

Soon after Banerjee’s speech, Communist Party of India−Marxist politburo member Biman Bose ridiculed her saying the decision to move the no confidence motion was an attempt at publicity.

Bose, also chairman of opposition Left Front, alleged that the Trinamool merely wanted to grab the spotlight.

He said the party had chosen to bring the motion even though it was aware that it did not command the support of the requisite number of 50 members.

Asked to react to Banerjee’s Facebook post hours after the motion was rejected that the “saviours of the government are exposed”, Bose replied: “If the chief minister wants to get some mental peace by saying such things, we won’t come into the way.”

“In politics, the strategy has to be decided after studying the ground situation. It was clear from the outset that it (the motion) will fall flat. The Trinamool only wanted to grab the spotlight by moving the motion,” Bose said.